Crappie off the Hiwassee 2/25/2007

[enmreal]

Well, it's time for another season chasing the elusive crappie. I know you haven't heard much from me lately, except for a New Years day trip after smallmouth below Chickamauga, and a cold trip to Dale Hollow for the smallmouth. But duck season is over and it's time to get serious after the crappie. My son came up from Atlanta for our inaugural crappie trip on Chickamauga this season. We were directed by friends up off the Hiwassee. We weren't the only ones directed there. You had to get in line to make a troll. The weather was perfect, the water temp was around 45 deg starting out; warmed to about 49 by the end of the day. We were trolling 1/16 ounce jigs tipped with Squirmin Squirts (white/chartreuse & white sparkle) trolled behind the boat (without floats). The water depth we fished was between 6'-8' all day long. We managed 21 keepers and caught at least 2-3 times that many that wouldn't measure. We caught 9 non-keepers before we had a keeper. Also caught a bunch of small yellow bass (stripes). With crappie season here, I am back in the fold and will be searching CFF daily to status the crappie fishing on Chickamauga. Thanks for spreading the info. Hope I have some more posts shortly.

 

[DHaun]

Thanks for the report enmreal! I trolled Chickamauga on Friday with no success. Either my trolling method has deteriorated since last year or it's just not time down river just yet... Until then I'll be focussing on casting jigs at brushpiles closer to the main river channel...when I can find time to go. I will be back trolling regardless...its fun!

 

[Guest]

Not to change the subject to a different lake, but around this time of year, on Weiss, the crappie fishing is just getting started. Give it another 2 weeks, and the crappies on the Chick will be there..........I hope.

I am hoping that I can talk a couple of new found friends into letting me fish with them for some crappies/bass on the Chick.

Glad that someone is catching something. While bass fishing today, Dad tried to get a couple of crappies for the freezer, but none could be had on the Floyd.

 

[enmreal]

Like Rsimms said; he's gonna tell on me. It's obviously upriver of the Highway 58 bridge since you can't go below until Thursday. If I say anymore, I'll be in big trouble.

 

[Daniel Tn]

Glad for this forum...

I actually got delayed in going fishing today (some honey dos to do). I was going to put in at B&B and run down to the 58 Bridge and fish around some of those creeks. I'm glad I got delayed now because I didn't know anything about the closing of the down river part below the bridge. Why is/was it closed?

The only map of the Hiwassee I have is on my TVA Lake Chickamauga contour map. It shows the river pretty good from the Interstate bridge on down. I'm still blind as a bat on it though and wont be doing no 70 MPH until I know it a lot more. I've been picking the brain of some anglers I know that fish it quite a bit and just like every angler they tell ya the basics and horde the secrets About like me and gold panning.

 

[rsimms]

You can go below Hwy. 58 Bridge... you just can't leave the main channel. From 58 downstream to TN River is waterfowl refuge. After March 1 you can go anywhere... but until then they keep boats out of all sloughs and pockets to give waterfowl their "refuge."